The Governor-General Hon Anand Satyanand has
given the green light for this year's general election to be
held on Saturday 8 November, clearing the way for candidate
nominations to open tomorrow 9 October 2008.

The
Governor-General has signed the writ directing the Chief
Electoral Officer to conduct a general election on 8
November 2008. This is the formal authority to run the 2008
election.

"The issuing of the writ, or writ day, is a key
constitutional step in the election process. The writ sets
out the date nominations for candidates close, election day
and the date the writ must be returned showing the
successful electorate candidates," says Robert Peden, Chief
Electoral Officer.

Under the Electoral Act the
Governor-General must issue the writ within seven days of
the dissolution of Parliament.

The Chief Electoral
Officer must return the writ with the names of the
successful electorate candidates to the Clerk of the House
of Representatives within 50 days of its issue, on 27
November, if no application for a recount is
received.

Candidate nominations close at:• noon on
Monday 13 October for bulk nominations by registered
political parties direct to the Chief Electoral
Officer.

• noon on Tuesday 14 October for individual
nominations to the Returning Officer for the
electorate

These deadlines cannot be extended.

A full
list of parties and candidates is expected to be publicly
available from www.elections.org.nz by 2pm, Wednesday 15
October
2008.

The Government has approved a negotiating mandate for Trans-Pacific Partnership 11 (TPP11), which will ensure New Zealand businesses remain competitive in overseas markets.

Trade Minister Todd McClay says New Zealand will be pushing for the minimal number of changes possible to the original TPP agreement, something that the remaining TPP11 countries have agreed on. More>>

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As a desperate Turnbull government tries to treat the Barnaby Joyce affair as a Pauline Hanson fever dream – blame it on the foreigners! We’re the victims of the dastardly New Zealand Labour Party! – our own government has chosen to further that narrative, and make itself an accomplice. More>>

Wellington City Council is partnering with the University of Otago, Wellington, to launch a voluntary Rental Warrant of Fitness for minimum housing standards in Wellington, Mayor Justin Lester has announced. More>>

“The Crown acknowledges Moriori was left virtually landless from 1870, hindering its cultural, social and economic development. The Crown also acknowledges its contribution to the myths that the people of Moriori were racially inferior and became extinct." More>>

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Race Relations Commissioner Dame Susan Devoy is in Geneva and has asked a United Nations committee to urge the New Zealand government to initiate an inquiry into the physical and sexual abuse of children and disabled people held in state institutions. More>>

The commitment was signed this afternoon by the leaders of Labour, United Future, The Maori Party, and the Green Party and, together with the earlier commitment by New Zealand First, means that there is now a Parliamentary majority behind the families’ fight for truth and justice. More>>